Why Love Potions Are Bad
by Alicia Jennings
Summary: When Sirius decides to have some fun with Love Potions, Lily and Snape are caught in his plot.
1. The Love Potions

Why Love Potions Are Bad  
A MWPP fic by Alicia Jennings  
~  
  
Setting: MWPP timeline, third year. Fun, fun, fun!  
  
-  
  
"Potions is next? Potions? I don't wanna go...c'mon, will anyone skive off with me?" Peter squeaked as they neared the dungeon. "Professor Abbot always pairs me with Snape!"  
  
"That's because Professor Abbot's a -" Sirius stopped in mid-sentence. "Ooops. Ladies present."  
  
"And don't forget it," snapped Lily, Paralee and Sarah-Anne nodding in unison. "Just because Professor Abbot's not nice doesn't mean you should be calling her names."  
  
Indeed, the Terrible Four Plus The Girls were heading off to Potions, wondering what torture they would endure today, being Gryffindors and all. Professor Abbot, head of Slytherin House, didn't like Gryffindors. But neither did any of her predecessors, and neither would those professors who followed her. It was engrained in them - Slytherins hated Gryffindors. No buts about it.  
  
"Lil," said James, visibly tensing as they entered the cold dungeon, "You're too nice."  
  
"Whatever," said Sirius, which earned him a slap on the arm.   
  
James and Lily sat at their table, while Paralee and Sirius teamed up, and then Remus and Sarah-Anne. Peter was left to his own devices as Professor Abbot entered the room, looking even more nettled than usual.  
  
James elbowed Lily. "The un-namable woman looks a bit more unpleasant today."  
  
"I noticed," she wrote back on a piece of parchment, and then stuffed it into her bag as the professor began to speak.  
  
She set her mouth in a prim line, and then Professor Amaliea Abbot began to speak. "Class, we are about to prepare a potion that is VERY dangerous. I cannot stress how dangerous this is." She looked as if it were a scandal to prepare such a potion. "The making of this potion shall be monitored VERY closely by me, so don't even try and tamper with it." She looked squarely at James and Sirius, who grinned sheepishly. Tutting, she continued. "Do not change one ingredient on this potion, or the effects could be life changing." Laying her head in her hands, Abbot muttered, "Dumbledore wants us to make a Love Potion."  
  
Sirius and James, as well as many others, let out guffaws and strings of laughter, which died away when Professor Abbot jerked her head back up.  
  
"I am not joking," she snapped. "Love Potions can make a man love a woman for life, with no antidote. You must - be - careful."  
  
The class sat, stunned. Life? No antidote? Geez.  
  
"Now," said the professor, "Here is the ingredient list...if you do not have all of these items, come to my desk and get some. I doubt you'll have eye of tiger or spleen of lizard, they're very rare not to mention expensive."  
  
Lily had both, so she shared with James. They bent their heads together, trying to decipher the potion.  
  
"This is the strangest potion...." breathed Lily, brushing hair out of her eyes. "All these ingredients are unusual."  
  
"It's a Love Potion. It's not supposed to make sense," said James, dropping hair of turnip in the cauldron. "I didn't know turnips grew hair."  
  
"Nor I," said Lily absentmindedly, looking through her Potions kit for root of sassafras. "Have you seen my sassafras roots?"  
  
"Yeah, I already put them in," said James, looking at the checklist.  
  
"James! You should tell me this so we don't mess this up! Love potions are dangerous!" Lily's temper, which James and company associated with her red hair, was firing up.  
  
"Lily," said James calmly, "Calm down. I put it on the checklist. See? Just check that before you put in anything."  
  
"Sorry I snapped at you," said Lily, blushing.  
  
"That's okay. We need to put....oh, eww....."   
  
-  
  
Professor Abbot was examining the potions, and was "oooooh" -ing and "ahhhhing" -ing over Lucius Malfoy's potion when Dumbledore walked in.  
  
"Hello, Headmaster," said Abbot, her oily voice a different tone than what she used with the class.  
  
"Good morning, Professor Abbot," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "Are we about to test the Love Potions?" he asked, looking at Lily and James' concoction.  
  
Professor Abbot blanched. "T - tttt- test, Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
"But of course," said Dumbledore, smiling at Lily and James. "Pity that there aren't an even number of girls to boys......Lily, you'll just have to be loved twice." Lily blanched now.   
  
"Okay....Peter Pettigrew and Paralee Jensen." Paralee looked at her potion warily, now with a hair from Peter in it. Peter was afraid to take his.   
  
"One......two......three!" They downed the pink liquid, and sat down their glasses. No change was apparent.  
  
Lily supplied the answer to the class' unspoken question. "The effects don't appear for one hour."  
  
Shrugging, Paralee sat down. Peter did the same.  
  
Then it was Lily and James....then Sarah-Anne and Remus.....and finally, all were done. Well....almost.  
  
Severus Snape still hadn't taken a potion. Dumbledore held out his hand to Lily.  
  
Lily looked at Snape in horror, and Dumbledore gave a slight cough. Grudgingly, she plucked out a hair ("Oww!") and placed the long red strand in the Professor's hand. Luckily, since she'd already taken a potion, she didn't have to drink Essence Of Severus.  
  
Unknown to anyone, Sirius quickly slipped a few more ingredients into Severus' potion. He chuckled.  
  
Severus ladled out a glassful, and (with great disgust) dropped Lily's hair in. The potion fizzed up, and Lily groaned very audibly.  
  
"On three," said the Headmaster cheerfully, and Snape looked at the glass as if it contained poison. "One.....two.....three!"  
  
Snape gulped the liquid as fast as he could, then sat (or slammed) down the glass. Sirius laughed again, and Snape turned around.  
  
"What?" asked Sirius innocently at the glare on Snape's face.  
  
Innocent? Yeah, right.....*cough*  
  
-  
  
It was in the middle of Transfiguration when the potion began to take effect, much to McGonagall's displeasure.  
  
During her lecture over Transfiguring living things into non-living things, James casually slid his hand over Lily's. Lily blushed and giggled, twirling a shock of hair with her finger. Paralee lay her head on a happy Peter's shoulder, while Remus and Sarah-Anne scooted closer together. Sirius was even so bold as to plant a kiss on Joelle's cheek.  
  
McGonagall stopped in mid-sentence, and smacked a hand to her forehead. "Let me guess. Albus has decided to have a little "fun" and blast you all with Love Potions."  
  
They all shrugged, giggling and looking at one another with very love-struck eyes.   
  
"Oh NO......" muttered McGonagall, tossing the textbook over her shoulder in reckless abandon, knowing that it was useless. Kids under the influence of Love Potions were better just to be left alone for the potion to wear off, no matter what things they did under the influence. "I'll be back presently."  
  
Everyone looked at one another, giggling, and they immediately - well - y'know.  
  
-  
  
When the bell rang, all of the lovey-dovey Gryffindors - very disheveled too, I might add - headed to lunch.  
  
"That was fun," said Lily, very giggly and pink-faced, trying to pin her hair back into place and button her robes.  
  
"Uh......huh...." said Sirius, starry-eyed and staring at Joelle, who too blushed and giggled, trying in vain to straighten herself up.  
  
James held his arm out to Lily, who took it lovingly, and the troop headed for the Great Hall.  
  
-  
  
"ALBUS! YOU GAVE THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLDS LOVE POTION?!?! YOU'VE GOT TO BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!" Minerva McGonagall was having a conniption fit, and really, that was a very Minerva-like thing to do.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "They had to test the potion, after all."  
  
"WELL, WHY NOT DO IT ON THEIR PET RATS OR OWLS?!?! NOT ON THEM!"  
  
"Now, now, Minerva," scolded Dumbledore gently, "The potion's so weak that they'll never do anything that will make them ashamed later in life. And besides, they're at lunch now. No room to get into any sort of trouble there, with all of us teachers around. Let's go eat lunch."   
  
Rolling her dark eyes and patting her hair which was coiled into a bun, McGonagall made her way down to the Great Hall.  
  
-  
  
And to McGonagall's great surprise, the Great Hall was as normal as it COULD be at Hogwarts. The students were still snuggled together, yes, but...all at once, they abruptly came out of the potion's effects.  
  
Lily lifted her head from James' shoulder. "Huh......wha.....why am I.....WHERE am I.......?"  
  
Paralee scooted away from Peter. "The Great Hall? But.....Transfiguration......." She looked at the state of her robes. "Oh no. Love potions! We've been under the influence of Love Potions! Remember, we made them in Potions class this morning!!! Oh, yuck!" Paralee was in hysterics, and who could blame her?   
  
"Well, thanks," said Peter sarcastically. "I love you, too."  
  
"It was a potion, Peter," snapped Paralee, ruffled.   
  
Lily smoothed her wrinkled robes, blushing, not even wanting to think of what she'd done under the potion's influence. "Well, at least I didn't have to deal with Snape."  
  
"We would've kicked his bloody tail if you would have," said Remus, James and Peter nodding in unison.   
  
Sirius snorted with laughter. Lily, Remus, James, Peter, and the rest of the gang stared at him. "What?" he asked, a look of innocence on his young face.  
  
"Sirius, if you've done anything -" Lily began, but was cut off by a shout from the entrance of the Great Hall.  
  
"Lily Elizabeth Evans, love of my life, where art thou? I shall die if I live another moment without thee!"  
  
None other than Severus Snape stood at the front of the Great Hall.  
  
-  
  
Author's Note -  
Blame Stephanie for twisting my arm into doing a cliffhanger. *grin* I am so happy right now. I'll tell you why in "Alicia's Life: Summer In The City", coming soon!   
  
A sequel comes if I get reviews. I live for reviews - pitiful, I know, but true. I WANT REVIEWS. GIVE THEM TO ME NOW! Sorry, I'm in a hyper mood right now...anyways, review.....  
  
  
  
  



	2. Blizzards, Life-Debts, and Severus Snape

  
  
  
Why Love Potions Are Bad  
Chapter Two  
-  
  
  
Lily closed her eyes, set her jaw, and balled her hands into fists. "Sirius," she said calmly, but James cut her off.  
  
"Sirius! What the bloody hell did you do!?!?! I'm going to -"  
  
"Kick your bloody ass!" finished Remus, Peter also nodding. Sirius looked nervous.  
  
"Why does everyone always blame me?!?! I'm innocent!" cried Sirius.  
  
Everyone stared at him, eyebrows raised.  
  
Sirius sighed. "Okay, I admit it! The jig is up! I did it! Don't kill me, Lil!" Sirius threw his arms over his head in a protective fashion.  
  
"Aha!" snapped Lily. "I knew it!"  
  
Snape was still carrying on. "Lily! Lily, oh Lily my love!" He started toward the Gryffindor table, oblivious to everyone's stares.  
  
"Get me out of here," whispered Lily, through clenched teeth, before doing what all girls would have done in her situation.  
  
She fainted dead away in James' arms.  
  
-  
  
Under the Invisibility Cloak with her, James and Remus carried Lily out of the Great Hall. Everyone wondered where they'd gone, so Peter and Sirius made some excuses - "Ah, Lily went to help them with Magical Creatures homework," before the two of them snuck out.  
  
"I can't believe you did that to Lily," said Peter, shaking his head. "I honestly can't believe you did that."  
  
Sirius hung his own head, studying the floor intently. "I didn't know it'd be that strong."  
  
"But still!"  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Peter, you've helped me pull dozens of pranks on other innocent people," said Sirius, shrugging. "How is this any different?"  
  
"Because....because," Peter stuttered, "It's LILY! Lily's like a sister to us, and has been for years! You JUST DON'T pull pranks on her!"  
  
Meanwhile, up at Gryffindor Tower, Remus and Lily lay down an unconcious Lily on the empty common room's couch.  
  
James glanced at her, brushing a stray hair out of her face. "She's cute like this."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes. "You'd probably say she was cute if she had just woken up in the morning at six a.m."  
  
"Depends on what we'd done the night before," said James, his mind on what all teenage boys' minds are on, and a grin on his face. Then he sobered. "Do you know a charm that'll wake her up?"  
  
Remus shook his head. "I used to...but I've forgotten. I guess we could do it the Muggle way...."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Ice water." Remus conjured a bucket full of cold water. "Will she kill us or thank us?"  
  
"Who knows," said James, shrugging. "Let me guess....I do honors."  
  
Remus nodded, handing him the conjured bucket. "What, do you think I'M dumb enough to dump ice water on Lily? You're the only one who can get away with that. Or at least the only one she wouldn't kill."  
  
James took the bucket, shutting his eyes tight. "Don't kill me, Lil," he murmurred, before dumping its' contents on the red-haired thirteen-year old's head.  
  
"Arrrrrrghhh!" Lily screamed, her green eyes popping open. "What the....James? Remus?" She blushed, realizing that her robes were sticking very close to her frame. "What the heck did you do that for?!"  
  
"James wanted to see what you looked like with your robes hanging that close to you," said Remus mildly. James shot him a death glare, so he hurriedly added, "Actually, you fainted, and we forgot the charm that's supposed to wake you up, so we did ice water instead."  
  
Lily shivered, folding her arms over her front so the boys couldn't see anything. "Well, I suppose I should thank you for not taking me to Madam Pomfrey, but right now, I'm freezing. It's the dead of winter and I just had water d - dumped on m -me!" Her teeth began to chatter, so James threw his cloak over her and guided her up the stairs to the girls' dorms. "And it's ENNERVATE!" she yelled as they dissappeared from sight.  
  
Remus, still sitting in the common room, shook his head. "Yep. They'll end up getting married. I can tell."  
  
"Who'll get married?" squeaked Peter, tumbling into the common room, Sirius close behind him.  
  
Remus glared at Sirius. "Just talking to myself; don't worry about it. Sirius, I hope you know of a good reversal spell, or James and Lily both will spit fire at you."  
  
Sirius sighed. "It was only a joke!"  
  
"BE that as it may," snapped Remus, "Let's skive off of Magical Creatures -"  
  
"But....Remus! If I skip one more class, Dumbledore will expell me!"  
  
"I don't care. We're going to the library to find a counter spell, or James will have a death sentence on your head."  
  
So, while Lily was drying off and James was - well - somewhere, Remus, Peter, and Sirius were in the library, looking for a countercurse.  
  
"Wait...." said Peter, shutting his book. "Didn't Professor Abbot say that a potion could make a man love a woman for LIFE?"  
  
Remus' and Sirius' mouths dropped. "No, no, no...." groaned Sirius. "That must mean that there's no counterspell or potion, right?"  
  
"It would appear so," said Remus, sighing, and slamming his book shut. "I haven't found anything in here. I guess it'll just have to wear off."  
  
Sirius let his head drop to rest on the book he'd been reading - Counter-Curses for Everyday Problems. "What if it doesn't wear off? Then this is the end. James and Lily are going to kill me."  
  
"It would appear so," said Peter. "Buh-bye."  
  
"See you in the afterlife," said Remus, picking up the books to put them back on the shelf.  
  
-  
  
After Lily changed into drier clothes, she and James went to Magical Creatures.   
  
"Where are the rest of the guys?" asked Paralee, meeting up with them in the middle of the front lawn. "The last I saw them, they headed out after you guys."  
  
"I don't know," said James, as Lily murmurred, "I don't give a crap at where Sirius is."  
  
"Who would?" asked Joelle, as Sibyl Trelawney, a fourth year, came running toward them. "Oh no. Look out for the four-eyed fruitcake."  
  
"Isn' tha' just great. She predicted me death las' week," said Sarah-Anne, glaring in the girl's direction. "She's defn'ly batty."  
  
"Beware!" cried Sibyl. "There's a huge blizzard coming! Run for cover! Run for shelter before it reaches us! HURRY!" Arms flailing, she ran in the castle and slammed the door.  
  
The gang all looked at each other, and immediately cracked up laughing. "I think that - she's - gone from fruity - to something worse!" Paralee choked out, her face red with laughter.  
  
"I agree! She's been partying with Professor -" A gust of wind cut Lily off. "Uhoh. Don't tell me this is one of Sibyl's real predictions."  
  
"Nah," said James. White flakes began to drift down. "So it's a few snow flakes. Like it's anything to worry about!"  
  
There was another howl of the wind, and snow began falling so thickly, they could barely see each other, much less the castle.  
  
"Nothing to worry about, right?" Lily yelled over the wind. "No wonder you're horrible at Divination, James!"  
  
"Stop bickerin'!" Sarah-Anne shouted. "This isn' th' time to be discussing Divination! How in th' name o' Queen Mab are we going to find the castle in this?" She thought for a moment. "Link arms! We need ta stay together. Go ten steps left."  
  
"Left? Why left? Why not right?"  
  
"PARALEE, JUST DO IT!"  
  
"Fine, fine, I'm overruled...hey, what's that glow?"  
  
A circle of golden light was making it's way towards them.   
  
"Angels?" asked Sarah-Anne, stopping dead in her tracks and causing everyone to stumble. "Blimey, we aren't goin' "home", are we?"  
  
"Lily! Lily, dear, wherever art thou?" came a voice from the light. "I'll save you!"  
  
"Unless Snape has d-died and become an angel, no, we aren't g-going "home" just yet." Lily groaned, her teeth beginning to chatter. "We might as well ask him for h-help, you know. It's better than freezing to d-death out here because we can't f-find the castle."  
  
"You realize that you'll have to deal with h-him," said James warningly.  
  
"I'll talk to Dumbledore. Surely h-he can come up with a solution...oi, Snape! Over here!"  
  
"Coming, my dear, I'm coming!"  
  
Sarah-Anne, Joelle, Paralee, and James all collectively groaned. "Well, exc-c-cuse me!" Lily retorted. "It's n-not as if I want to be called "dear"! By him, anyways!"  
  
"Then b-b-by who?" asked Joelle.  
  
"I'd r-rather not say!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"PARALEE, ON TH' NAME O' MERLIN, SHE'D RATHER NOT SAY!"  
  
Snape's sillhouette became distinguishable. "Lily dearest, I didn't know you had these creeps with you." He swept his wand-light over the group. "Come along, sweets, and these infedels can find their own way."  
  
"Oh no, they can't," snapped Lily. "We're all going back, assuming that you still know the way. And let's g-go, I'm c-cold!"  
  
"Aren't we all," muttered James. Snape turned to him.  
  
"What was that, Potter? Mocking the lady?" Snape's eyes narrowed.  
  
"SNAPE! The CASTLE!" yelled Lily. "We're FREEZING TO DEATH!"  
  
Snape's mood immediately turned when he looked upon Lily. "Very well, m'lady. Take my hand."  
  
Lily moaned, looking at James. He gave her an apologetic look, and took her left hand. Snape grasped her right, and everyone else fell into line as they slowly made their way back to the castle.   
  
~  
  
The next day was Saturday, and the Hogsmeade trip was cancelled due to the large blizzard outside.  
  
"Great," said Lily, "We're snowed in with Snape. This is SO great. The ideal perfect weekend."  
  
"It could be worse," Paralee pointed out. "You could owe some life-debt to him - wait. We ALL do. It's worse."  
  
"Paralee -" Sarah-Anne started, but cut off before she started cursing the girl in Gaelic.   
  
James groaned. "Don't remind me, Para. Please don't remind me that Snape saved our lives yesterday...doesn't that make us all indebted to him? Oh, sheeesh."  
  
"And we weren't there," said Remus gleefully. "I'm SO glad. You don't understand how glad I am."  
  
Lily, Paralee, James, Joelle, and Sarah-Anne gave him a look that plainly meant that he should shut up, and Remus complied immediately. Sarah-Anne's punches hurt.  
  
Sirius, sitting alone in the corner, was doing some heavy thinking. And that was quite unusual for the likes of him.   
  
Thanks to his... "antics", five Gryffindors now owed a Slytherin - their greatest enemy, Severus Snape - a life debt. Life debts were important to wizards and witches, and he knew that all five would keep it even if Severus Snape was the one they owed their debts to. And, in addition to that, Snape had a huge crush on Lily.   
  
Sirius sighed. Sometimes, pranks weren't fun. And sometimes...you had to own up to what you'd done to make things right. So he rose from his chair, opened the portrait-hole, and did the only thing that made sense. He went to see Dumbledore. If he couldn't make things right, no one could. So he walked across the castle, walking up halls, down staircases, through doorways, across halls, and accidentally walking through Nearly Headless Nick. He was in the east corridor on the second floor when he realized he hadn't a clue of where Dumbledore's office was. Swearing to himself, he looked around, wondering which way to go.  
  
"What's the matter, Mr. Black?"  
  
Sirius spun around, and came face-to-face with Professor McGonagall. The middle-aged woman looked different out of teachers' robes and in normal Muggle clothing. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail that hung past her waist.  
  
Noticing his obvious bewilderment, McGonagall sighed. "I'm going to see Muggle relatives, Mr. Black, don't be acting as if you've seen Grindelwald. And why, exactly, are you wandering about? I figured you'd be with Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin pulling pranks today."  
  
Sirius swallowed. McGonagall's presence always made him feel guilty, especially now. "Er...I needed to speak to Professor Dumbledore, madam."  
  
McGonagall's eyebrows raised questioningly. "May I ask what for?"  
  
*Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn!* thought Sirius. "Er...um...well, you see, yesterday I pulled a prank in Potions class."  
  
"Ahhh," said McGonagall knowingly. "I would assume that you pulled it on a Slytherin by the name of Severus Snape?"  
  
Sirius shifted his feet guiltily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Yes, madam."  
  
"I assumed as much," she said grimly. "Mr. Black, would you like me to take care of this, or would you rather go see Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
"But I thought you were going to see relatives."  
  
"I can postpone it for a few more minutes. Come with me to my office. I'll call Dumbledore there." And, putting a hand on his left shoulder, the Professor firmly guided him to a door on the left side of the corridor. Holding his breath, Sirius resigned himself to whatever fate held for him. Would he be expelled?  
  
-  
  
A/N - The third and final chapter will be up when I return from flag camp! PLEASE REVIEW! I had such an overwhelming response to the first chapter, and I thank each and every one of you who took the time to review. Please do it again!  
  
Love, Alicia M. Jennings  
  
Sirius: Why am I always getting into some type of mishap in your fics?  
  
Alicia: Because you're you, Sirius.  
  
Sirius: *starts singing* I gotta be me....  
  
Alicia: *groans* Bye to all, lots of love....get away while you still can....  
  
Sirius: I gotta be me!  
  
  
  



	3. The Grand Finale

Why Love Potions Are Bad  
Chapter Three  
By Alicia Jennings  
~  
  
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Black," said Dumbledore, smiling, as he sat in a chair opposite of Sirius in McGonagall's office. "What seems to be troubling you? Would it have anything to do with Mr. Snape's declarations of love to the fair Miss Evans?"  
  
"Err...yessir," said Sirius, looking at the floor.   
  
"Would you care to explain, young man?" asked Dumbledore. For the first time in days, Sirius felt comfortable about telling how he pulled his prank. He told Dumbledore everything...dumping the ingredients, getting lost in the blizzard, and how James, Remus, and Peter were about to kick his butt.  
  
Dumbledore nodded when Sirius finished his tale. "Sirius, Love Potions are very dangerous things to mess with. And strong ones are not meant to be used in pranks. I trust you will never go messing around with them again. You've most likely already altered the future with this one."  
  
Sirius gulped. Quite audibly. "Is there anything I can do, Professor?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded, drawing forth a half-full vial of red liquid. "This is a hate potion, Sirius. These also are not meant for pranks. This is just enough for Severus to stop liking Lily. Put one of Lily's hairs in it, then slip it into his pumpkin juice at dinner."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," said Sirius, his shoulders relaxing. He'd set things right in just a few hours.  
  
~~  
  
Lily, James, Remus, Peter, Joelle, Paralee, and Sarah-Anne were quite hungry by the time dinnertime rolled around. Lily plopped down at the end of the Gryffindor table, James and Remus on either side of her.  
  
"Who's missing?" she asked, glancing around.   
  
James, meanwhile, had launched into a quidditch story.  
  
"It was last year when we played against Slytherin...oh, it was so cold that day....I thought my broom was going to freeze up...It was an hour or so into the game..."  
  
"Err...James?"  
  
"Anyways, I had just seen the snitch! I knew that I needed to catch it so the game would end because Remus here, our Keeper, had just been ousted by a Bludger. So, I go into this magnificent dive -"  
  
"James? Umm..."  
  
"And I could feel the Snitch in my hand...and that Slytherin beater...y'know, that Lucius Malfoy character...he whacks my arm with his club! So -"  
  
"James!" Lily nearly shouted.   
  
James stopped in the midst of his Quidditch tale. "Yes?"  
  
"Where's Sirius?"  
  
"Why should I care?" James asked. Then Lily gave him a meaningful look. "Oh. He might be pulling another prank."  
  
"Exac'ly," said Sarah-Anne.  
  
"Is that him over there?" asked Joelle, pointing under the Slytherin table. A figure was huddled under Severus Snape's usual spot. As they watched, he snuck Snape's goblet off the table and poured a small vial of liquid into the juice. He swirled the cup a bit, much like a wine taster would do, then sat it back up on the table, unnoticed. Quietly, he snuck away.  
  
"If he's at it again..." said Paralee, her teeth clenched, "I swear, I'll hurt him so bad he'll never have children."  
  
"You and me both," said Lily.  
  
"Count me in as well," said James, his eyes following the sure-to-be Sirius figure come towards the Gryffindor table.  
  
It was at that time that Severus Snape came walking - rather, waltzing - into the Great Hall. He stopped and rather showily made his way toward the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Lillian, my dear," he said, bowing to Lily, "You look simply ravishing."  
  
"Thank you," she said rather stiffly.  
  
Snape stood to his full height. "Would you do me the honor of sitting with me this dinner hour?"  
  
"She's a Gryffindor," said Remus, "So she has to sit at the Gryffindor table."  
  
"On the contrary," said a voice, "Students can't be segregated into their houses. They choose to sit at their house tables, they aren't punished if they don't."  
  
It was Sirius. Lily opened her mouth to protest loudly, but Sirius then did something strange. He pretended to scratch his head in thought - but held out his small finger while doing so. The sign of the Marauders.  
  
James began, "Sirius you great pr-", but before he could finish, Lily punched his shoulder and interrupted him.  
  
"Severus, that would be lovely. It's a small way that I can repay you for saving my life and the lives of my friends yesterday." He held out an arm, and she wrapped hers around it. As they walked past Sirius, he whispered to her, "Pumpkin juice." She gave a curt nod and continued on.  
  
"What are you bloody playing at?!?!" James exploded as Sirius sat down.  
  
"You'll see," said Sirius calmly. "You have to trust me and Dumbledore."  
  
"This bloody well better be good," said James, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.  
  
~~  
  
As Lily sat down next to Snape at the Slytherin table, she'd never been so uncomfortable in all of her thirteen years of life. She was sandwiched between Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Some of the Slytherins looked at her briefly then went back to her meals. Others glared at her in contempt. She barely touched the meal she'd been so hungry for before.  
  
"So, my dear, what would you think of going to Hogsmeade next weekend."  
  
"Umm...ahh...studying...I need to study for my History of Magic exam," she stammered. "So very sorry."  
  
"It is all right. We can study together," said Snape, eating his meal. He hadn't taken one sip of his pumpkin juice. Lily cursed silently. Snape finished eating quickly, making small talk about grades and Hogsmeade. "My sweet, what is wrong?" he asked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.  
  
*I won't scream,* she thought silently. "Oh, just feeling a bit puny, that's all. I'll be fine." She reached for her goblet, but it was empty.  
  
"Oh, you are out of pumpkin juice. I will go get some more for you," he said, taking the goblet and walking to the nearest pitcher.  
  
Lucius Malfoy turned towards her. "Well, since little Sevvy is gone, I guess I have you all to myself."  
  
"And why, Malfoy, would I want to be with you?" she snapped. She sent a pleading look towards James and Sirius. Remus was restraining James, and Sirius was mouthing to her, "You have to stay and make sure he drinks it!"  
  
"You might like me after a while," he said, leaning closer to her ear. She felt his hand on her thigh, underneath her skirt. "I'm quite gentle...and as I'm three years older than you, experienced."  
  
She reached down for his hand, as if to hold it. He looked pleased, but that look turned to pain as she twisted it painfully. "I guess I'm not so gentle, Malfoy," she said calmly.  
  
He glared at her. "I won't forget this, Mudblood."   
  
"I hope you don't," she said, glaring back at him. She glanced toward the Gryffindors. The girls were now having to restrain all four boys. "Ahh, Severus. Thank you so much for the pumpkin juice. It seems especially good tonight." She made a dramatic look towards his goblet. "And you haven't drank any of yours! Come, let us make a toast."  
  
"To what?" asked Snape.  
  
"To...to..." She again glanced towards the Gryffindors, to James and Sirius. "To Quidditch! May we have a...er...good season."  
  
"To Quidditch," said Snape, as they clinked goblets.   
  
Lily downed hers quickly, and he did the same. She jumped up as soon as she was finished. "Well! So sorry to rush, but I must be going. Thank you for your company." She nearly ran from the Great Hall, and the rest of the circle did the same.  
  
James gave her a great big hug. "Congrats, Lil. No more Snape."  
  
"Thank God," she said, with conviction. "Sirius, what did you put in his pumpkin juice?"  
  
"Hate Potion," said Sirius. "Just enough to counteract the love potion. Although he might dislike you slightly from now on."  
  
"That's fine with me," said Lily. She grinned at Sirius. "Thanks."  
  
"Forgive me?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Of course," she said, enveloping him in a hug. "I say we go to the Astronomy Tower and play some Exploding Snap. Who's with me?"  
  
A chorus of "Me! Me!" prevailed, and the young teenagers headed for the empty Astronomy Tower, or Make-Out Capital, as Sirius called it.  
  
~~  
  
"And that, young Harry, is why love potions are bad," said an adult Sirius, to a small baby he held in his lap. Lily Potter and James Potter laughed aloud at the retelling of their school days.  
  
"Don't mess with 'em," said Lily, taking Harry from Sirius' lap. "Terrible things. I got so much grief from that you wouldn't believe." She made a face at the baby, and Harry laughed.  
  
James chuckled. "And who woulda figured that we'd let him be our son's godfather."  
  
"Lord above help," said Sirius. " 'Course, I have given him the warning on love potions. If he ever does what I did....well, it's not my fault."  
  
"Right," said Lily, drawing forth a book, titled Potions for Everyday Mischief. "I suppose that's why I found this in my son's room."  
  
Sirius shrugged. "Love potions are bad indeed, but wherever would we be without that potion that turned Lucius Malfoy's hair blue?" He grinned broadly.  
  
~~  
  
Severus Snape, now the Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, looked distastefully at the fourth year student, Harry Potter. So much like his father.   
  
He wondered...why...he hated James so much. He had quidditch skills, yes. He was handsome, yes. But...why did he have that twinge of jealousy? Was it because of Lily?  
  
He supposed...he would never know.  
  
  
~THE END!~  
  
A/N - Sorry it took me so long to finish!!! Please review! *Alicia* 


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